6th Generation Fighter Meta Thread

a reply to: thebozeian

www.flightglobal.com...

a reply to: anzha

I still think there is only room enough for one successful program. Smaller shares of a bigger, longer-lived line of cheaper airframes is better than a short run of a Rafale or EFA repeat. The hard part is the political wrangle for workshare and requirements. I think the dev costs have risen so much that only one will survive if push comes to shove. Maybe neither.

a reply to: RadioRobert

aviationweek.com...

The Air Force also heavily invested in the development of its future aircraft. Funding for Next Generation Air Dominance — a portfolio of systems that likely includes a new air superiority fighter — skyrocketed from $430 million to $1 billion.

www.defensenews.com...

Still not available on the DOD Investment Budget site though to see details.

a reply to: anzha

Billion dollars is that getting towards prototype stage for that sort of money?

a reply to: Woody510

I'd except B-21 type demonstrators circa 2021/2022 based on a comparative funding trajectory.

a reply to: Woody510

No. They're still at the multi competitor stage, so they're paying each competitor for R&D and risk reduction work. At this point, that's not really a lot of money for the program because it's being spread out.

a reply to: anzha
I bet they have already say refurbished testbeds in the air or very close to it.

a reply to: mightmight

Testbeds, maybe, probably.

Demonstrators, no.

At this stage Id say a lot of the prelim design works been done for structures thats "If" each of the manufacturers have nailed down their shape from wind tunnel testing.

Kind of impossible to set your design in stone when the customer doesn't even have a clue what it wants yet...

Any chance Northrup will do a rehash of the F23?

a reply to: Woody510

Pretty much zilch.

So 0207110F Next Generation Air Dominance increased from 283.964.000 US-$ FY18 and 429.610.000 US-$ FY19 to exactly 1.000.000.000 for FY20.
Very odd number IMO. I can see parts of the program/funding moved into the classified realm to hide what is actually already going on.

The Classified Air Force R&D Budget will rise from 16.7 Billion in FY18 and 17 Billion in FY19 to a whopping 18.4 Billion US-$ in FY20. Mere five years ago the Classified Air Force R&D Budget was at 11.4 Billion.
Imagine, they could buy almost two aircraft carriers with the funds they added to the Classifiied Air Force R&D Budget since 2015.
Total Air Force R&D Budget will be 46 Billion in FY20 btw(up from 41 Billion in FY19, yeah not happening). That means more than 40% of the entire Air Force R&D Budget is classified at this point. Not just no elaborated on in any detail like with NGAD but straight up inaccessible to the public or even most of Congress. Insane.

Catbird went from St Louis to Edwards, flew a couple flights out of there, then back to St Louis last summer. This month RAT55 was caught flying over Nevada.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Are they the 737s that have the different nosecones like the one pictured with the F35 nose one it?

a reply to: Woody510

Catbird is the Boeing 757 that tested the F-22 avionics and flight controls.

RAT55 is the NT-43 that tests various technologies related to stealth aircraft. It's got all kinds of bumps and blisters and things we will never know about on it.

Most of the initial install on RAT55 happened locally.

Flights recently are probably checking out the Tyndall F-22's damaged and repaired.


Though there are obviously many other stsnd-alone and upgrade programs which might use in-flight verification services. It gets a workout.

NGAD:

It might be noted the probable engine for the NGAD is the AETP. That's being funded separately from the NGAD to the tune of $870M. IIRC, the F-22 and F-35 had their engine funding for the F119 and F135 included in the line item (please, correct if wrong).

www.flightglobal.com...

Jane's is interpreting the $1B instead of $1.3B ask for the NGAD as meaning the USAF is rethinking what it was doing with the program:

www.janes.com...

It ought to be remembered, though, that the B-21 reduced its ask at one point, too, and was not delayed.

Tempest:

Leonardo wants in...bad:

www.flightglobal.com...

originally posted by: anzha
NGAD:
Jane's is interpreting the $1B instead of $1.3B ask for the NGAD as meaning the USAF is rethinking what it was doing with the program:

"Rethinking" while blowing a billion?
0207110F NGAD might just be the smokescreen for alot more getting funded in the classified realm.

AETP - 0604004F Advanced Engine Development?